Todd and Julie Chrisley reported to prison last month to serve their sentences.
Obviously, this would change his life forever. And they are not alone.
Savannah Chrisley’s life has fallen apart. It is not only his parents who are saddened by his imprisonment.
At 25, she now finds herself acting as the parent of a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old. She is broken by these challenges.
on this week’s installment open with savannah chrisleyThe Titanic podcaster talks about his new role in life.
She’s not just a big sister to 16-year-old Grayson and an aunt to 10-year-old Chloe. She is now their caregiver, raising them both in the role of parent.
Savannah is far from the first eldest sibling to have these responsibilities. And she isn’t even the first woman to find herself a real parent because her real parents are in prison. But that doesn’t make it any easier.
“The other night, I was completely broken,” Savannah admitted.
“I was trying to find appropriate clothes for Chloe to go and meet my parents,” she recalled, “and find her hair material.”
Savannah described how “I just sat down on the floor and started crying.”
Please tell that Savannah is just 25 years old. And she doesn’t have the extensive childcare experience that some of the oldest siblings already have by that age.
“I’m not my mother. How am I going to do this?” she asked thinking out loud.
Savannah then admitted: “I don’t think I’m worthy or capable of doing the work that he’s done all his life.”
In a loving moment, Chloe offered Savannah reassurance and emotional support, even as doubts were eating her alive.
“I was sitting there, and the next day Chloe said, ‘You’re doing a great job,'” she recalled.
Savannah shared that Chloe reminded her: “‘Last night you made me ramen noodles.'”
Speaking of which, when it comes to food, Savannah is working on a new plan to keep things organized, predictable, and everyone happy.
“From here on out, every Sunday we’re going to plan our meals for the week,” she said.
“And,” Savannah shared, “you guys tell me what you want for dinner.”
“And we’ll get groceries for the week,” Savannah explained, “and you’ll know every night what you’re going to eat.”
It’s a solid way of doing things. And it will cause less (well-deserved) resentment than simply declaring that everyone will eat what they want and hoping they like it.
Many people like to plan their meals in advance. Not everyone has the peace of mind (or the budget) to make this a reality. Planning ahead can be a source of comfort in uncertain times.
“I had a conversation with my dad and he said, ‘This is the hardest, but most rewarding thing you’ve ever done,'” Savannah revealed.
“I’m starting to see it,” she remarked.
“It’s so crazy because I went from place to place, sitting in the same chair thinking how mad at God I was,” Savannah reflected.
“‘Why would you let all these things happen? One thing after another. Where are you?'” she asked as he recalled.
“Now,” he declared, “I am in a place of such peace.”
Savannah aspires that both Chloe and Grayson find themselves in a place of “peace and quiet”.
Savannah added vaguely, “We need to deal with things and find healthier ways to deal with things.”
“Even if it’s just little things I’m trying to implement,” she continued, “because I’m not their mother.”
Savannah further clarified that: “I am not his father. I am his sister.
“I want to be in that role of sister,” Savannah said. “But it’s hard when you’re in the role of parent and disciplinarian.”
With Julie serving seven years and Todd serving 12, Savannah is going to act in the role until Grayson is in his twenties and Chloe is almost an adult.
We hope they all can get over this.